SnowmaNick’s speaker shopping notes

OMC said:
Apex Carl had a pair of Grand Utopias set up in his home a few years back with big Accuphase mono blocks and preamp. Now that was a system that after listening to it would make you go home and want to throw rocks at your system.
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Yeah I mean that Grand Utopia system at the audio show was so insane I don't even really consider it a home system. But I doubt I'll ever hear anything that sounds better.

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Listened to the Dynaudio Contour line today, both the 30i and 50i. They’re well made and inoffensive looking, though the 50i is huge.

Overall, the imaging was about par with the Revel’s I own, and not as good as the KEF Reference I auditioned. Bass was there, at times excessively so on the 50i, but I didn’t feel it went as deep as my Revels and it seemed a bit more pronounced at the ~50-80Hz area, like some bookshelves that try to sound like they have more bass than they do. I also felt these, while very good speakers, were a little dark and shaded at times. It might be that I’m used to the Be tweeters. To use a simile, if you can imagine being in a big room or cave with a good flashlight, you can see what the flashlight is pointing at, but there are shadows all around. With the Dyn’s I felt the same way about their sound. As if there was a shadow around the performers.

Overall, these aren’t for me.
 
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Wow - just, wow! 🤩

I’ve been a long-time owner of Thiel speakers and a more recent owner of KEF LS50’s. I’ve been impressed at how close the midrange on the LS50 sounds to that of the Thiel CS6 (they are both coaxial).

If I were in the market, high-end KEFs and time-aligned Vandersteens would top my list. But, that Blade 2 is just stunning to me.
 
SnowmaNick said:
So, I’m looking to replace my Revel F228Be’s. They’re great speakers but I find their bass presentation a bit light without subs, and I’d like to not use subs for my stereo system. This is a music only setup, 60/40 vinyl/streaming.

I was thinking I’d share my thoughts on speakers as I audition them in case anyone else is looking at any of these.

These notes are my steaming hot takes. So please don’t take any offense if I don’t like something you do. I’ll also be getting the demos at the dealers, in their rooms and their equipment. Before I finally pull the trigger I’ll ask for a home demo to make sure the speakers fit my system.

Speaking of, my system, stuff rotates in and out of it, but the speakers tend to stay. I got the Revel Be’s when they came out. I’ve had 5 different integrated amps in that time (Denon, Rogue, Parasound, Margules and my current Luxman), 3 different turntables, 3 DACs, 2 streamers. So, I like speakers that show what is happening upstream of them. As my speakers tend to last, I’m looking at new whereas my other equipment comes mainly from US Audiomart, Audiogon, etc. Speakers are large (I tend to prefer large floor standing models with near full to full range), cost a lot to ship, can easily get messed in shipping, and are very personal tastes to each individual.

These are the speakers on my list (in no particular order):
  • Magico A3 (or A5)
  • Focal Sopra 2
  • Dynaudio Confidence 30
  • KEF Reference 3 Meta
  • Wilson Audio Sabrina X
  • YG Acoustics Talus or Ascent
  • Spendor D9
  • Wharfedale Elysian 4
  • Bowers and Wilkins 803 D4
  • Vandersteen Quatro Wood CT

I’ll do a separate post for each as I audition them.

Some speakers I’ve thought about but decided against due to price, size, aesthetics, wife vetoed, etc. These are going in the living room, so they need to be nice to look at, and get her approval on how they fit in with our home.

Revival Audio Atalante 5: wife veto, size & design. I think their beautiful, wife absolutely doesn’t.

Fyne Audio F1-8: “Minion head” design according to my wife and daughter. They have a very nice finish, good sound, but the odd looks did it in. I feel I would still end up needing a sub with these as well.

Revel Ultima2 Salon: I love how these sound, but they are huge, require a lot of space, and really more power than my L-509x can give them. Great, great speakers though.

KEF Blade 2 Meta: wife-veto. She just laughed as soon as I showed them to her.

Canton Reference 3: I liked the sound, maybe a touch too much bass, I wish these came in more finishes. The piano gloss black was well done, but after owning gloss black speakers for over 5 years, they are finger print and dust magnets.

JBL 4367: Loved the sound, could use a bit more bottom end, which surprised me with their massive size and driver. Wife didn’t like the size, they’re basically small refrigerators, or finish options. I also felt for the money they were a little “plain” to look at and the build quality wasn’t anywhere near the Canton or QLN.

QLN Prestige 3: I’m still on the fence with these. I was only able to find one local dealer, a great guy and shop, but terrible acoustics. They sounded a bit mushy and soft, but that could have been the room. They get universal plaudits in the press, but I was underwhelmed.

Marten Parker Trio: I just can’t find a damn dealer!

Yamaha NS-5000: wife again hated the looks. Never got to audition.

Harbeth M40.2: See Yamaha and Revival.

Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Baby Grand: Sound nice, “big” sound from a well built tiny tower. The imaging was a little vague, and bass bass was overly plump and wooly.

Dynaudio Contour 30i and 50i. The 50i is huge. Well made and inoffensive design, but I didn’t think enjoy the tweeter. Too soft and lacking air and detail.

The budget is up to $25k. I sold my classic Jag that spent more time in my mechanics shop than my garage to fund this. So it’s kind of a one time shot at some “next level” speakers for me. Before I know it my kids are going to be looking at colleges and my audio hobby will be the first to feel the budget crimp.
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Here’s an interesting comparison of the Salon2 to the F328Be.

www.audioholics.com

Revel’s New F328Be Versus the Old Ultima Salon2 Which is the Better Speaker?

Can Revel's new $16,000/pair F328Be floorstanding speaker actually be better than the brand’s crown jewel, the $22,000/pair Ultima Salon2? Read on to find out.
www.audioholics.com www.audioholics.com
 
Ok, uhm, yeah. So here’s a question for you fine people. I have a chance to get Blade 2 (non-meta) for under $10k, which is less than the Reference 3 Meta’s that I loved. But they would have to be shipped. And they’re used. Normally I love used equipment, I let someone else get the depreciation heartburn, but these are big speakers, and shippers mess things up.

So far, I haven’t heard the YG or the Focal’s, but I loved what I heard with the KEF Reference Meta line. Should I jump at the Blade 2’s, or go with the new Reference Meta line? Or….
 
Magico A5

Very neutral, leans a bit into analytical. The finish seemed to absorb light, so they feel more imposing than the dimensions would indicate. Great ability to pull music apart, where you can easily focus on any instrument or voice and just follow it. Bass was taut and solid, there when it needs to be, but not as ever present as the Wilson’s. Mids were maybe a degree or two recessed, although that doesn’t show up in their measurements. Image specificity within the sound stage was a bit vague.

I had a hard time with this one. It may have been the Boulder 866 they were hooked up to (I always find Boulder amps a bit dry and uninvolving) but my attention kept wandering. If I go back for a second audition I’ll ask to listen to them with a different front end.
 
Wilson Sabrina X

My wife doesn’t like their shape, and I have heard people echo her thoughts, but I dig it. Especially in some of the more fun colors. Those colors cost a grand or more, but you can make them very much your own.

As for the sound, at moderate to average levels they were great. They had solid bass providing a great foundation, and the mids were well integrated. The bass really did sound full and lifelike, especially on drums. At higher output, where all the Wilson’s I’ve heard before shined, the treble got a little grainy and grating. After about 25-30 minutes, I had a little ear fatigue. These were being paired with the current Luxman L-509z, and I doubt it was the cause of the grain and fatigue.

Overall, not the right fit for my room, where I’d have to give them a goose on volume just due to the rooms volume and my seating distance. Great if you were in an apartment or condo. Or a small listening room.
 
Dynaudio Confidence 30

This speaker lost points from the jump. IMHO, they’re ugly. I’ve loved Dyn’s style for years, their current design though looks like the speaker equivalent of Mercedes EQ line, melted amorphous blob as opposed to the MCM rectilinear shapes of the past.

Ok, past the looks. Did I mention I think they’re ugly? I did? Well they are.

As for sound, the price delta between the Contour line and these isn’t justified by the improved resolution. I didn’t get the same sense of shadows obscuring things, but I also got nowhere near the soundstage of the KEF Reference line. The bass was outstanding, but the treble didn’t have the air/shimmer/sparkle/detail of my Revels.

I kept thinking they should be listed at half what they cost. I wasn’t impressed.
 
SnowmaNick said:
Ok, uhm, yeah. So here’s a question for you fine people. I have a chance to get Blade 2 (non-meta) for under $10k, which is less than the Reference 3 Meta’s that I loved. But they would have to be shipped. And they’re used. Normally I love used equipment, I let someone else get the depreciation heartburn, but these are big speakers, and shippers mess things up.

So far, I haven’t heard the YG or the Focal’s, but I loved what I heard with the KEF Reference Meta line. Should I jump at the Blade 2’s, or go with the new Reference Meta line? Or….
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I thought your wife immediately veto'd the blade no?
 
SnowmaNick said:
She originally did. Two things changed, they are in her favorite color (or close enough) and I took a picture of me standing next to a set at a dealer and they aren’t as tall as she thought. And are narrower than she thought. And stop reminding her.
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It’s funny I quite like the form, even though they look like a kooky alien or robot from later day Star Wars, but I couldn’t get on board with the bold primary colours which are nice in isolation but might need the Jetson’s house to fit into the decor. Now something that sleek with a real wood veneer…
 
SnowmaNick said:
She originally did. Two things changed, they are in her favorite color (or close enough) and I took a picture of me standing next to a set at a dealer and they aren’t as tall as she thought. And are narrower than she thought. And stop reminding her.
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What color are they?
 
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